The present disclosure relates generally to threat detection systems and methods. More particularly, the present application relates to threat detection systems and methods that model and predict potential maritime threats.
Maritime traffic may take any number of different forms ranging from recreational vehicles to commercial vessels. For example, a multitude of oil tankers, cargo ships, cruise ships, ferries, private boats, personal watercraft, and other such seafaring vessels may be located in San Francisco Bay, at any given time. In some cases, traffic in a harbor or other coastal area may be governed by a nautical chart. In the United States, for example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) publishes nautical charts for all coastal areas in the United States. Nautical charts typically provide mariners with information regarding the depth of a given area, the location of buoys and other marks, and the area's usage type. For example, a certain portion of San Francisco Bay may be a security zone in which only certain vessels may traverse (e.g., the area outside of an airport), another portion may be regulated, while a further portion may be unregulated.
Naval and law enforcement forces may employ the use of sensors to monitor maritime traffic. For example, an aircraft flying over a particular area may use radar and other forms of sensors to detect maritime vessels in the area. In another example, buoys and other nautical markers may be outfitted with sensors to detect nearby vessels. Generated sensor data may be transmitted to a command and control center for further review. For example, the sensor data may be processed to present a two or three-dimensional display of the area to a trained specialist. The specialist may review the representation of the area to determine whether a threat exits (e.g., a potential attack by hostile forces, a terrorist threat, etc.).
Despite the current advances in detecting sea-based threats, modern threat detection systems are still susceptible to human error. In a heavy traffic area, for example, a specialist may be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of vessels in the area. In addition, bandwidth may also be limited between a sensor's location (e.g., airborne, surface-based, etc.) and the command and control center at which the traffic is analyzed. Applicant has discovered that there may be a need for threat detection systems and methods that use maritime traffic models to rapidly detect potential threats.